CHILLING CCTV of a missing mum’s last moments before she was allegedly murdered by her ex-boyfriend has been shown to jurors.
Claire Holland, 32, vanished without a trace after a drunken row with Darren Osment, 41, in Bristol in 2012.
SWNSClaire Holland vanished from a night out in 2012[/caption]
Avon and Somerset PoliceCCTV shows the last time Claire was seen before she vanished[/caption]
A tragic final timeline of her last movements was shown at Bristol Crown Court where Osment is on trial for murder.
The mum-of-four can be seen during the day on June 6, 2012, popping into an Asda at 3.12pm to withdraw cash.
Claire then pops up on CCTV in the city centre 30 minutes later where she runs towards the Seamus O’Donnell pub to escape the rain.
She leaves the pub on a number of occasions – including to top her phone up.
Claire then speaks to Osment outside for six minutes until 4.16pm before calling her sister ten minutes later.
She leaves just before 6.30pm and does some clothes shopping at Primark before making her way to the Drawbridge pub just over two hours later.
Claire’s final sighting is at 9.32pm when she walks back towards the first pub, the Seamus O’Donnell.
No trace of Claire has been found since after she vanished that evening, jurors were told.
The court heard she had told pals she was meeting Osment when he finished work as a chef.
Claire left the pub drunk with no keys, no phone and an unknown amount of money on her.
The couple met in 2008 when they worked in a cafe, with their first child born two years later.
Tensions rose between the pair after Claire continued to drink through her pregnancy, it was said.
Jurors heard in the 11 years since the mum-of-four vanished, Osment has told several people he killed Claire or paid someone else to do it.
In one alleged confession to a friend, he said: “I … I did kill … I did kill her you know, I did kill my ex. I killed her. I … I killed my ex.
“I threw it off … into the river off Avonmouth Docks in Bristol. I strangled her.”
When asked why, Osment replied: “No c***, no stupid b**** is going to keep me away from my child.”
His ex-partner told police the chef suggested he paid someone to kill Claire rather than “get his own hands dirty”.
He also allegedly told another friend: “I paid someone £500 to have the mother of my child executed.”
In 2019, jurors heard Osment called police claiming he wanted to “hand himself” in for murder.
He added: “I’ve had enough of it all now. I just want the monkey off my back.”
In the call played to the court, Osment can be heard saying he “sort of” murdered his ex but didn’t know what had happened.
When he was arrested, he told officers: “I didn’t do it. But I had it arranged.”
The alleged killer also confided in an undercover police officer “Paddy O’Hara”, who was tasked with gaining his trust after he was released under investigation.
Osment allegedly made reference to Claire having a “nice f***ing swimming lesson” while he spat in the direction of the sea.
He then struggled not to vomit and mentioned her body being “half way to Spain“, the court heard.
Osment, of Patchway, South Gloucestershire, has pleaded not guilty to murder on a date between June 5 and June 8, 2012.
The trial continues.
Avon and Somerset PoliceClaire can be seen walking through Bristol on the day she vanished[/caption]
Avon and Somerset PoliceShe popped into Asda in the afternoon before making her way to the pub[/caption]
Avon and Somerset PoliceThe mum leaves the Seamus O’Donnell, where she later returned for a night out[/caption]
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]